A group of international travelers representing 33 countries, led by Head of Piki Reels club, Belgian citizen Yves Bouvier, visited Saturday Aghdam as part of their tour of Azerbaijan’s Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur regions.

AZERTAC’s regional correspondent reports that during the trip, the foreign travelers familiarized themselves with the traces of Armenian vandalism, as well as the restoration and reconstruction works carried out by Azerbaijan in the city after its liberation from occupation.

During their visit to the Alley of Martyrs in the city of Aghdam, the travelers were informed about the heroic Azerbaijani children who lost their lives in the First Karabakh War, as well as civilians who were victims of the Khojaly genocide. They were also told about the destruction of Aghdam by Armenian vandals and the desecration of graves in the Alley of Martyrs.

The visitors observed the remains of structures demolished by Armenians on Aghdam’s central street and learned that, before the occupation, Aghdam was one of the largest and most developed cities in Azerbaijan. Once known for its vibrancy, the city now lies in ruins.

The delegation's first stop was the Imarat Complex, which houses the palace of Panakhali Khan, the founder of the Karabakh Khanate. They also visited the nearby Imarat cemetery, the final resting place of many members of the Karabakh khan dynasty, including Ibrahimkhalil Khan, Mehdigulu Khan, and Khurshidbanu Natavan, an esteemed Azerbaijani poetess and Mehdigulu Khan’s daughter. Unfortunately, like other historical and cultural sites in the liberated territories, the Imarat Complex and cemetery suffered vandalism at the hands of Armenian occupants.

They were informed that following the liberation of Aghdam, restoration and archaeological works were launched at the Imarat Complex with the involvement of local and international experts.

The travelers also received information about the ongoing restoration and reconstruction efforts in Aghdam.